How to Be a Good Volleyball Player

by John Csiszar

About John Csiszar

John Csiszar began writing in 1989 at the ERIC Clearinghouse for Junior Colleges. His work appears in various online publications, including The Huffington Post. Csiszar earned a B.A. in English from UCLA and served 18 years as an investment adviser and certified financial planner.

Volleyball is a fast-paced, exciting sport that requires a number of varying skills for a player to be successful. In addition to understanding the rules and pattern of play of the game as a whole, a good volleyball player needs stamina, agility, strength, hand-eye coordination and good jumping ability. The ability to anticipate the moves of the opposing players also is invaluable. As the game can be played on varying surfaces with a different number of teammates, the skills that are most in demand will similarly vary based on the parameters of the game.

Step 1

Learn the game. Before you can develop the skills you need to play the game well, you need to understand how the game is played. In addition to reading the rules of volleyball, it can be invaluable to to watch live games, particularly those featuring outstanding players.

Step 2

Condition yourself. Volleyball requires stamina, and the only way to acquire stamina is to undergo a conditioning regime. A good fitness program will not just develop your cardiovascular system but also will give you the additional strength that a good volleyball player relies on.

Step 3

Develop sport-specific skills. While almost any physical action might arise in a volleyball game, the basic moves of the game involve the bump, set and spike. Practicing these sport-specific movements will give you the skills that are inherent in every good volleyball player.

Step 4

Work on your timing. Unlike others sports, which might involve holding or throwing a ball, you don't hang onto the ball in volleyball. Since the ball is in constant motion, a good volleyball player needs to develop a sense of timing to react to balls on both sides of the net. You can develop the timing of a good volleyball player by running numerous timing drills, such as jumping and blocking a ball at the net.

Step 5

Work with a team. Whether you intend to play beach volleyball or indoor volleyball, you will be part of a team. To become a good volleyball player, you must understand the roles of each player on the court and develop the skills to work with your teammates. You also must tailor your team skills to the nature of your game. In a two-person beach volleyball team, you must cover much more of the court than if you are on a six-person indoor team. Either way, you should run drills with your team to develop the instincts and court sense of a good volleyball player.

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